REDMOND, Washington- Will gamers want One?

After four years of development, Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One entertainment console and touted it as an all-in-one solution for playing games, watching TV and doing everything in between. Microsoft wants the Xbox One to be central to your living room and packed the new Xbox with such features as the ability to change TV channels through voice commands.

Although the device won’t go on sale until later this year, at a price that hasn’t been disclosed yet, Microsoft invited attendees of Tuesday’s announcement event to take a closer look at the system.

Based on limited time with the device, the Xbox One feels like an improvement over its predecessor. But it fails to include features some fans have demanded, including the ability to play games bought for the existing Xbox 360 system.

Of course, many particulars about the Xbox One could change between now and when it’s released. The specific date hasn’t been revealed. More details are expected at the E3 video game conference in Los Angeles next month.

For now, the system looks to be a thoughtful piece of technology, but there’s still a lot that isn’t known.

Design

With contrasting matte and gloss finishes, the Xbox One is the slickest video game console so far, although we don’t yet know what Sony’s upcoming PlayStation 4 will look like. Nintendo’s Wii U came out in November and is the only one of the three new consoles already available for purchase, though sales have fallen short of the company’s forecasts. The Xbox’s outer shell, which Microsoft calls “liquid black,” features vented flourishes and all the inputs and outputs one might need, including multiple USB ports and HDMI pass-through.

Kinetic

The new version of the Xbox’s camera-based Kinect system comes with better motion and voice detection, including the ability to recognize faces, tell if you’re smiling or talking and gauge your heart rate. It appears as sexy as the Xbox console, but has been overhauled under the hood. It’s three times more sensitive and has a larger, 60-degree field of view.

In a demo, the doodad’s high-definition camera easily displayed crystal-clear 1080p video and could detect up to seven people, though it lagged as more folks stood in front of it. The basic motion detection appears vastly improved, but the voice detection feature wasn’t made available to try out, adding to the list of unknowns.

Performance

The system seems to work harmoniously together. For example, by combining the Kinect’s face detection ability with the machine’s wireless controllers, it recognized – almost magically – when users swapped controllers.

Controller

The new controller’s layout is mostly unchanged, but the bulky battery bump is gone from the back. The smoother Xbox One controller boasts a new directional pad and vibrating trigger buttons.

The triggers pulsated in tandem with such imagery as a character’s heart beating and a car revving up during a demo with a prototype controller.

Requirements

Luckily, the Xbox One won’t require a constant connection to the Internet, but there’s a possibility that some of the key features wouldn’t work as well or at all. The Kinect system is required and will come with the machine, rather than sold separately as has been the case with the Xbox 360. The Xbox One also will feature privacy settings so it doesn’t feel like the Kinect’s camera is always watching you.

Limitations

Xbox 360 games won’t work on the Xbox One because the underlying technology is different, according to Microsoft. Microsoft was vague about how the Xbox One will handle previously played games bought from other gamers, though it confirmed used games will work somehow. There had been talk that Microsoft might restrict used games on the new machine.

Games

What games? Despite the fact that such titles as “Call of Duty: Ghosts,” “FIFA 14″ and “Forza Motorsport 5″ were teased during Tuesday’s flashy presentation, actual games weren’t available to try out afterward. Microsoft said it plans to focus on Xbox One titles in three weeks at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the gaming industry’s annual convention in Los Angeles.

The Xbox One shows promise with a sleek shell and a new Kinect detector that seems to perform fine – at least if you don’t try to confuse it with too many people at once. But with a lack of games and lingering questions about what it can do without an Internet connection, there are too many questions about the Xbox One, even after experiencing – not just hearing – what Microsoft has planned.

At this point, it’s too early to say whether Microsoft or Sony is leading in the latest round of the console wars. They’ll have to duke it out at E3.

Attendees at the Electronic Entertainment Expo visit the Electronic Arts booth on the first day of E3 in Los Angeles, California June 5, 2012. — Reuters Photo

SAN FRANCISCO, Tue May 7, 2013 – Electronic Arts Inc forecast fiscal 2014 earnings above Wall Street’s expectations as cost cuts take hold and higher-margin digital sales accelerate, lifting the video game publisher’s stock 8 percent.

Electronic Arts, which like the rest of the industry is struggling as players migrate to more casual games such as “Angry Birds” on mobile devices, estimated fiscal 2014 profit, excluding certain items, of $1.20 a share, beating an average estimate of $1.10.

EA has been cutting staff and reorganizing studios in recent months to embrace new game platforms, cut costs and adapt to tougher market conditions. The publisher is preparing a new slate of games – including the latest installment of its “Battlefield” shooter game franchise – partly to take advantage of next-generation video game consoles due later this year.

Digital revenue – from mobile games, online offerings and other newer sales channels – rose 45 percent year-over-year to $618 million, larger than EA’s packaged goods business in the fourth quarter ended on March 31.

EA shares rose to $19.88 in after-hours trading on Tuesday after closing at $18.41 on Nasdaq.

“We’ve cut operating costs, sharpened our product focus, and made strategic investments in next-generation consoles, mobile, and PCs,” EA Executive Chairman Larry Probst told analysts on an earnings call.

Consumers have held back from buying hardware and software as they await new versions of Sony Corp’s PlayStation and Microsoft Corp’s Xbox expected later this year.

“Their focus on margin expansion is impressive but they’re going to have to continue to deliver on that,” Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia said. “But so far, so good.”

For fiscal 2014, the video game maker forecast revenue of $4 billion, in line with Wall Street’s expectations, according to Thomson-Reuters I/B/E/S.

“STAR WARS” IN THE MAKING

Weakness in the packaged games market dented revenue, but EA recognized $120 million of deferred payments from its “Battlefield Premium” service in the fourth quarter, Chief Financial Officer Blake Jorgensen said in an interview.

For the latest quarter, total revenue declined to $1.2 billion from $1.37 billion a year ago. Adjusted revenue rose 6.4 percent to $1.04 billion over the same period, barely beating analysts’ average estimate of $1.03 billion according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Net income fell to $323 million, or $1.05 per share, from $400 million, or $1.20 per share, a year ago.

John Riccitiello stepped down as chief executive on March 30, after taking responsibility for missed operational targets.

Former CEO and Chairman Probst has been appointed executive chairman as the company begins its search for the next CEO.

There’s “no new news” on the search for EA’s next CEO, Jorgensen said. “The search continues.”

EA’s big 2014 release is “Battlefield 4,” the new installment from its hugely popular first-person shooter franchise that is expected to release this fall.

“It would have been tougher for them this year had it not been for ‘Battlefield 4.’ I think that accounts for most of the growth and in the absence of that they would have had a flat to down year,” Bhatia said.

EA management on the earnings call cited 11 titles in the company’s 2014 lineup. These include sports game franchises such as “Madden” and “FIFA,” city-building simulation game “Sims 4″ for personal computers and “Plants vs. Zombies 2″ from its PopCap mobile game studio.

On Monday, Electronic Arts sealed a multi-year licensing deal with Walt Disney Co, under which the video game publisher will develop games for mobile devices, PCs and consoles based on the “Star Wars” movies.

“Development is at least a year plus in timing so you won’t see anything in fiscal ’14,” Jorgensen said.

SIMCITY game concept art wallpaper.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 4, 2013 - A 10-year wait ends Tuesday with the arrival of ‘SimCity,’ a computer game that challenges players to build thriving cities in the face of conditions such as limited funds and climate change.

The sequel to the city-building computer game that factors in real-world consequences of energy choices, urban plans, and policy decisions debuts in the US for $60 a copy.

‘SimCity’ will be available in Britain three days later as part of a global rollout, according to game publisher Electronic Arts. The game is tailored for play on personal computers powered by Windows software.

Millions of people have played SimCity since the computer game designed by Will Wright was first released in 1989 but the Maxis Studio title to hit on Tuesday will be the first fresh installment to the franchise in a decade.

The original title won a broad, devoted following and led to a successful line of “Sims” strategy games in which players manipulate worlds and animated characters in simulations of real life.

Technology in ‘SimCity’ has been updated along with forces influencing the health of cities and the happiness of inhabitants, according to Maxis.

Along with rich 3-D graphics, the game will have a new simulation engine that enhances its realism and extends ramifications of urban design decisions past borders to affect neighboring cities.

SimCity has garnered enthusiastic reviews and won early endorsements from Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and the director of the Academy Award-winning documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”Maxis collaborated on the title with Games For Change, a group devoted to the creation of games that combine fun with learning about social issues.

“I love the game,” said “Inconvenient Truth” director Davis Guggenheim, who played an early version with his son last year.

“Climate change is the biggest crisis of our time, but there is a disconnect because it is not in front of us,” he added.

“When you play ‘SimCity’ it is in your face; if you build a coal power plant you feel the consequences — smog in the city, water table getting dirty, and your people getting angry.”Twitter co-founder Stone described ‘SimCity’ as encouraging systems that help make “better humans, a smarter world and a healthier planet.”Players become virtual mayors, guiding development of pretend cities and reaping rewards or suffering ramifications of decisions.

“Their mission is to make a thriving, happy city,” Erik Reynolds of EA said of the game on the eve of its release. “It you don’t have enough schools, you will have uneducated Sims and uneducated Sims get up to no good.”People can play SimCity solo, or establish in-game regions open where as many at 16 cities can be built by different players.

“If you have a super-dirty coal burning town and a neighbor is green, when the wind is blowing in their direction they will reap what you’ve sown,”Reynolds said.

Play in regions is hosted at the EA online Origin game forum.

Early this year, EA kicked off a SimCityEDU project with in-house nonprofit studio GlassLab to test the game’s potential as a tool for promoting science, math, and engineering in public schools.

Some teachers and children in schools in the California city of Oakland dabbled with SimCity game as part of a GlassLab effort to explore its potential for teaching children and getting them excited about technology studies.

“There is huge focus on mastering new skills to run a successful city,”said GlassLab general manager Jessica Lindl.

“These children are coming in on their own during recess to play the game and we literally have to tear them away from the computer when it is time to go back to class,” she continued.

Feedback from the students will be used to specialize a version of SimCity for schools, according to Lindl. Backers of GlassLab include the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Screenshot taken From Sleeping Dogs.

2012 was a good year for the gaming industry. There were a few major disappointments and some great games, but overall it was a good year.  Before we gear up for 2013 and the excitement it’s going to bring, let’s take a look back at some of the hits and misses of last year.

2012 The Good:

• WiiU released – brought with it the use of a second screen.
• PS vita released.
• Indie games do marvelously well : The Living Dead, Journey, Hotline Miami to name a few.
• Surprise hits help us maximize the fun: Sleeping Dogs and Dishonored, PS ALL Stars
• Sequels once again do well: Max Payne 4, Hitman: Absolution, Black Ops 2, AC3, HALO 4, Mass Effect 3 etc.
• OKAMI HD comes out, with much better graphics and the same great gameplay that made it the game of the year.

2012 The Bad:

• THQ, owners of Saints Row, Metro, WWE files for bankruptcy.
• Anticipated games get delayed: Tomb Raider, Bioshock Infinite, Aliens etc
• The Mass Effect 3 ending has a huge reaction from fans, make the developer add an extra ending
• The disappointment of Assassins Creed 3 not living up to its potential.
• Resident Evil 6 being a bad game.
• Slow PS Vita sales.
• Not a lot of original games and content.

2013 – Let us gaze into the crystal ball!

2013 is going to be a big year, infact its going to be a really big year for gamers. Why? Well, we are well on our way to the next generation of gaming. The Xbox360 came out in 2005 followed by the PS3 in 2006. The new consoles will be announced soon. Latest rumors are suggesting that Sony and Microsoft will announce the new systems before E3, maybe even as early as March. Also throw in the fact that Nvidia has announced Project Shield and Valve has announced the Valve Box.

The excitement and thrill that comes with new technology, great games, is what is going to drive this year and we can easily expect new titles and never before seen technology. I can’t wait.

First a look at the consoles coming or atleast to be announced this year. From there, I will share an exhaustive list of titles announced for the year.  And these titles, they all look great.

The Consoles

The PS4 Rumor Roundup - Codename: Playstation Orbis

• It will limit the use of pre-used games.

Probability: 10% as such a step would definitely drive customers away. 

• The New PS will not use the current PS3 Cell Processor

Probability: 50%. Why? Well if they use it, it will cut the new PS’s costs, but as has been seen over this generation, the Cell structure has been difficult to develop for.  Plus there is news that Sony will be collaborating with AMD for graphics power.

• Lack of backwards compatibility

Probability: 85%. This is surely something that will take place if AMD comes in as the previous games are based on NVIDIA architecture. Also, Sony has had success in releasing HD versions of PS2 games on the PS3 and with the graphical leap expected, it would make more sense to upscale the current games.

• Mind Blowing Resolution

Probability: 90%. For the PS3, Sony bought its Blu-ray technology,  which won its disc war against the HD DVD. Right now Sony is pushing its new 4K TVs coupled with OLED technology. I am sure that Sony will support this technology as it inadvertently supports the higher end Blu-ray discs.

•  
• A new PS EYE

Probability: 95%. The original PS eye for the PS2 was the basis on which the Kinect was built. Microsoft defeated Sony at their own game and improved Sony’s technology to their advantage. Sony’s Move was great, but the camera was seriously lacking. There will be a new PS Eye along with a more advanced Move controller. Leaked documents have shown the new technologies Sony is working right now.

• It will use a second Screen

Probability 85%. With Nintendo bringing a second screen with the Wii U, and Microsoft following suite with the Smart Glass, Sony will be using a second screen as well. It could be an external attachment, or link up with the Vita or even cellphones.

• 8GB RAM / 16GB Flash Memory

Probability: 90%. Sony plans to undo their mistakes. The PS3 lacked the RAM to perform tasks simultaneously, and this will allow them to do perform multiple tasks without any issues including running the OS systems and apps in the background.

• The Alleged Specs:
  • AMD Fusion APU – Codenamed ‘Liverpool’
  • AMD x86 Quad Core at 3.2 GHz
  • ATI r10xx (3rd generation) GFLOPS at 800 MHz and 1843 – Codename “Tahiti”
  • 8 GB RAM
  • Blu-ray
  • HDMI 1.4 – 1080p output
  • 320 GB + HDD
  • 16 GB Flash Memory
  • Run Capability at 1.84 Teraflops

Historically, every new generation of the Playstation has been 10 times more powerful than the previous one. From the PS1 to PS2 and the same with the PS2 to the PS3, this has been consistent and I am sure it will bring the same leap to the PS4.

Well there you have it, the Orbis’s alleged configurations along with all the rumors going around. PS3 at present has overtaken 360 in worldwide shipments. The PS3 has shifted 78m units while the 360 has 77m units shifted, even though the 360 came out a whole year early. Also there is the problem of double counting due to YLOD problems the 360 faced.

Nevertheless, Sony’s president at the recently concluded CES announced that Sony had lost its way in the past few years and now they are back to providing unique solutions like before. Let’s hope they give us a great few years with the PS Orbis.

The Next X-box Rumor Roundup - Known Codenames: Xbox720, Xbox Next, Durango, Loop, Infinity

• It will be atleast 6 times powerful as the 360.

Probability: 90%. The different tech rumors have suggested the same and it would make sense to make a powerful enough system to last a whole generation.

• It will require an internet connection at all times/block used games.

Probability: 20%. The 360 was a heavily pirated system. One of the new technologies to counter piracy is to have an always on internet connection. There are also rumors that it will block used games. Again blocking used games is very low on probability, and at the same time an always on internet connection will limit their customers worldwide. 

• Blu-Ray Disc Drive

Probability: 90%. All the latest information points to this. There were several games that came out for the 360 that required multiple DVDs. And to support the higher resolutions, the Xbox Next will require the Blu Ray system even if it means paying Sony Patent fees.

• A new more powerful Kinect

Probability: 80%. It may not come out right away but a new more feature rich Kinect is a certainty. One that can catch finger movements as well.   

• A Touch screen Controller

Probability: 50%. The WiiU has done it and so will Microsoft but in what way is the question. Will it use a second screen on the controller or use the Smart Glass. In any case a second screen will be a staple of the next gen systems.

•  
•  It will double as a Media Recorder:

Probability: 65%. Microsoft has always wanted the 360 to be a complete solution and has a patent going as far back as 2007. The patent says that it can record media whether you are playing games or even if the system is turned off. Always a great feature.

• It will come with the IllumiRoom

Probability:90%: First there were rumors of holograms. Then at CES in January, Microsoft showed the IllumiRoom,a system that can scan your living room and project images onto your surroundings, making it feel like you’re completely immersed in the game. Although it can help in making the game more immersive, It can also serve as a distraction. We will know when it is ready. You can see a video of it here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhvrOkaDxAY

• Two Versions at Launch

Probability: 85%. Microsoft might just cater to different audiences. One the hardcore with a stronger system and one for casual gamers and children with the Kinect.

• Known Specs
  • AMD x86 Jaguar 1.6GHZ 8-Core [Targeting one core being dedicated for OS tasks]
  •  AMD 8000 series GPU 
  •  ESRAM on the GPU
  •  8GB Ram DDR3, [1.5GB of RAM likely reserved for the operating system]
  • Run Capability at 1.23 Teraflops

Well there we have it. That’s the Xbox Next in a nutshell. After performing exceedingly well this generation I can’t wait to have my go at the new generation of the 360.

Other Consoles:

Project Shield by Nvidia

Nvidia announced their own hand held system at CES running on the latest Android version. It uses the TEGRA 4 processor as well. You can find a write up on Project Shield on Dawn.com/Spider/blog

Steam Box

Being developed at Valve, the Steambox will be a highly customized PC to play games on Steam. Also, at the same time another system is being developed by Xi3 for Valve called the Piston. Only time will tell what Gabe Newell, the president has in store for us.

The Gaming Conferences:

Gaming conferences have become a place of extreme anticipation for us gamers as it is at these conferences where all the new games and systems are announced alongwith new technologies. E3 being the biggest one of them all. Below find all the major conferences that will take place.

27th Game Developers Conference
March 25-29
San Francisco, California, United States

Consisting of talks for the industry, by the industry, but with plenty of tidbits for interested onlookers, GDC’s main annual conference doubles as venue for the Independent Game Festival and its award show, as well as the respected Game Developers Choice Awards.

17th Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
June 11-13
Los Angeles, California, United States

Since 1995, the Electronic Entertainment Expo has grown into the largest US convention for the computer and video game industry. Companies from Nintendo to Sony come to E3 to unveil their new games and showcase the latest technology and software. Is this where Sony and Microsoft will reveal their new PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 in 2013?

 5th Gamescom

August 21-25
Cologne, Germany

The world’s largest trade and public video games expo took no time at all to establish itself, branching off from the old Leipzig Games Convention in 2009 and offering hands-on time with new games and games devices. It’s become a venue popular with manufacturers and studios preparing for the end-of-year holiday season as well as with the public looking to get hands-on time with the latest games. In 2012, Gamescom counted 275,000 visitors.

4th PAX East and 10th PAX Prime
March 22-24 and August (TBC)
Boston, Massachusetts and Seattle, Washington, United States

Still retaining a grassroots vibe and covering video games and board games, concerts and competitions, the US PAX events each clear around 70,000 visitors per show. A chance for developers and punters to mix freely, with plenty of talks, panels, podcasts, parties and gaming sessions to attend. 2013 marks the first year that PAX extends beyond North America, with the first PAX Australia planned for July 19-21 in Melbourne.

23rd Tokyo Game Show
September (TBC)
Tokyo, Japan

Along with GDC, E3 and Gamescom, one of the year’s most important and influential expos. Even if in these last years the main companies chose to announce their new products in Los Angeles and Cologne, TGS remains home turf for Sony, while Nintendo will likely make any announcements at a separate, concurrent press event.

The Games:

The final part of our 2013 coverage, the games. How this year will fare  comes down to the games that are coming out. Below you will find an exhaustive list of games scheduled to come out sometime or another. They are in no particular order. Exclusives are also listed.

Attendees walk past the Nintendo of America Inc. booth during the Electronic Entertainment Expo or E3 in Los Angeles in this June 7, 2011 file photo. Nintendo Co Ltd trimmed its annual profit outlook October 24, 2012, by almost one-half as a strong yen and diminished console sales weighed on earnings while it readies the launch of the successor to the hit Wii console, which it hopes will reboot earnings growth. – Reuters Photo

SHANGHAI, Mon Jan 28, 2013 - China is considering lifting a decade-long ban on video game consoles, the official China Daily newspaper reported on Monday, sending shares of major hardware makers such as Sony Corp and Nintendo Co Ltd surging.

In November, Sony’s PlayStation 3 received a quality certification from a Chinese safety standards body, prompting speculation that Beijing would lift the ban, which the government said was imposed in 2000 to safeguard children’s mental and physical development.

“We are reviewing the policy and have conducted some surveys and held discussions with other ministries on the possibility of opening up the game console market,” the China Daily quoted an unnamed source from the Ministry of Culture as saying.

“However, since the ban was issued by seven ministries more than a decade ago, we will need approval from all parties to lift it.”

An official at the ministry’s cultural market department, which is responsible for the legislation, denied the report.

“The ministry is not considering lifting the ban,” the official, who identified himself only as Bai, told Reuters.

In Tokyo, Sony shares traded 8 percent higher while Nintendo gained over 3.5 percent, outperforming a broadly weaker Nikkei index.

Yoshiko Uchiyama, a spokeswoman for Sony Computer Entertainment, a unit of Sony, said she could not comment directly on the report.

“Our stance towards business in China has not changed. Of course, we acknowledge China as a promising market for our business, and we are always considering and preparing business opportunities and possibilities (in the country),” she said.

A Nintendo spokesman declined to comment.

Earlier moves suggest Chinese authorities are ready to take a softer line on game consoles.

Last year, Lenovo Group Ltd launched the Eedoo CT510, a motion sensing device similar in concept to Microsoft Corp’s Kinect extension for its Xbox game console. Lenovo marketed the Eedoo as an “exercise and entertainment machine”.

Video game consoles are banned in China, but online gaming and playing games on mobile devices are both extremely common, which analysts say limits the potential upside for Sony and rival game machine makers.

The world is a fast changing place. Internet is now literally in the palm of your hands –watches, smartphones and all other handheld gadgets included.

There was a time when internet cafes were the answer for all your surfing and email requirements. With Internet cafes also sprung up gaming zones.  During the hours spent in gaming zones – Friendships were built, camaraderie and bonds became stronger – leading up to a pivotal crescendo for clans to be established.

Somewhere in 1997 a friend and I used to play games on the Sega Megadrive and upgrading to the Play Station 1 seemed like sorcery had come into play.  Around that time he introduced me to my first gaming zone – Needless to say, there was no looking back.

Counter Strike got us hooked and eventually came Command and Conquer, Generals, Medal of Honor: AA, Modern Warfare, DOTA, Battlefield and many other games. It was a great time for gaming enthusiasts as we could all gather in one place and play to our hearts content without requiring any hardware of our own.

South Korea  has gaming zones with 200 gaming stations in one place. Gaming Zones are big in India as well. Pakistan had its gaming zone boom, but unfortunately, the trend is now dying in Pakistan.

Downfall of Gaming Zones:

Gaming zones in Karachi started with some great places like Defcon, Delta,  Echelon, Devgroup etc and moved onto gaming places with PCs and even consoles coupled with a café. This bought gaming to larger masses allowing people to play consoles at very low prices.

With the availability of high speed internet, came affordable gaming PCs and consoles. This along with rampant piracy in games, have led to the downfall of gaming zones. Although you will find many gaming zones out there, as compared to 5-7 years ago they are few and far in between.

Also , present gaming zones don’t have the class of old gaming zones. People jumped in on the boom with minimal investment and eventually they did not provide the kind of experience or environment which we had come to expect from good gaming zones.

High Speed Internet:

The availability of high speed internet at homes at very affordable rates, enables individuals toplay games sitting in the comfort of their homes. All online games have their own servers and players can play with gamers from around the world instead of people in the same café. Consoles also allow people to go online and play games easily. Be it FIFA, Need For Speed, Counter Strike, Modern Warfare etc, players have the option to play these games online easily. But to go online and play, your consoles must not be modified.

Piracy:

Piracy has been one of the biggest thorns for the international gaming community and developers. But, inadvertently piracy has also given a boom to the gaming industry in Pakistan and has eventually led to a downfall in the gaming zone market.

So how has piracy helped the gaming industry in Pakistan. One can buy a modified Xbox 360 at reasonable rates and games come as cheap as 50 rupees a piece (less than 50 Cents). Same is the case with PC games. Moreover, hacked versions and license keys for most PC games are easily available online. This has led to people trying many different games at home and not just limit themselves to games available in gaming zones.

The PS3 has pretty much killed off any piracy options on their brand, but this has also shown that Pakistanis are willing to invest in games, since there is a very active PS3 community in Pakistan.

The MMO Boom:

Pakistan gamers are in love with Massively Multiplayer Online(MMO) games. Games like World of Warcraft, DOTA, Starcraft, Star Wars have allowed players to become a part of an online community of paid gamers.

Usually, MMOs follow payment models, for instance – players create an account for a certain fee, which is paid through credit cards and online payment options. Obviously these accounts cannot be created in cafes due to quite a few reasons, most importantly security issues.  Players spend hours and hours on these games. Moreover only original games can be played and piracy does not work here. Thus, a lot of gaming zone players’ that I know have transitioned from gaming zones to MMOs. The sense of accomplishment is much higher in these games as they provide a level up system which gives more powers and options as you move up the ladder.

Low End gaming Zones

Another reason why gamers now shy away from gaming zones is because of a severe lack of quality gaming zones. Redundant PCs, Shabby interior and bad locations have led to gamers avoiding the new gaming zones altogether.

The gaming experience used to be unreal – inclusive of options to play your own music via a jukebox, a nice café, comfortable reclining seats and so on. Now, most cafes are there just to make easy money without providing any great experience. Sigh! Times sure have changed.

So, are gaming zones dead?

Gaming zones are not dead, yet! Some folks including myself still go out and play Counter Strike/  DOTA/Generals tournaments every now and then, But the death of gaming zones will be the most probable eventual outcome. Just like video game arcades die a premature death even though they shaped a whole generation of gamers, I personally feel that with the advent of new technology and immersion in games, gaming zones will also wither away.

Genre: Fighting
Developer: Namco Bandai Games
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Platforms: Arcade/Xbox 360/PlayStation 3/ Nintendo Wii U
Released: September 11, 2012
Website: http://www.tekken.com

The Tekken series’ first foray into tag-based fighting came out at the beginning of the PlayStation 2 cycle, and marked a fun new direction for the series to go into. After almost a decade, the franchise ventures back into familiar territory with the release of Tekken Tag Tournament 2.

Boasting the entire roster of the Tekken franchise up until now, Tekken Tag 2 features a staggering number of new characters and moves to familiarise yourself with, in order to stay in the game. While fighting games have come a long way since the early days, Tekken’s traditional approach hasn’t really changed much; aside from a few bells and whistles being added.

This new entry into the subseries holds the formula tightly to its chest, in addition to being the most technical fighter the series has seen yet. From the moment you pick up the controller, you’ll realise that this is a game that rewards players who dive into its intricacies and take the time to learn, execute and perfect many of its flashy moves.

Players can choose to fight solo or with a tag partner in a variety of online and offline modes and dominate the competition using Tekken’s unique tag mechanics. Like before, you can call in your partner while executing certain moves to continue the combo and eat away at the opponents’ life bar. Tagging in is essential when you’re low on health as one character knocked out earns your adversaries a victory.

What’s added is the new ability to pull off Tag Assaults and Tag Crashes – new moves that either extend combos by bringing your partner in for a hit or two, or flashily execute a tag throw that looks cool on top of dealing with damage.

The engine has been reworked to allow up to four characters to duke it out on-screen at the same time, and doesn’t buckle in the least bit. Aside from the main arcade mode, online play is highly satisfying with a robust netcode and matchmaking options available.

The new Fight Lab serves as a tutorial/mini-game of sorts with the character Combot, whom you can assign special moves and customise to a fairly large degree. Speaking of which, character customisation is through the roof with this new title, and the fight money you earn will be well-spent on items and accessories.

In summary, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is a stellar new entry into the series that brings back all the characters you have ever known from the series, and provides hours of fun gameplay with great new mechanics and plenty to learn. Whether you’re a button-smasher or a hardcore technical player, consider putting this game on your list of titles to share with friends and fellow gamers.

Ratings

Design: 8.4/10
Gameplay: 9.0/10
Presentation: 8.3/10
Overall score: 8.7/10

There have been games over the years that have bought me utter joy, that when I played those games I felt like a part of the storyline for example, the Metal Gear series, Assassins Creed, Mercenaries and Prince of Persia. On the flip side there have been some very horrible games that I have played and no matter how much I try I cannot get those hours of my life back. And then, there are the few great games with disappointing sequels, and some very average games with fantastic sequels.

Today, I want to share some of the worst games I have played in my life, which unfortunately were sequels to great games or a sequel of a great series.

Mercenaries2: World in flames

World in Flames was the sequel to one of my favorite games, ‘Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction’ on the Xbox and PS2. It is still considered one of the best open world games with great action and lots of variety. What I loved the best was that the player could call in air strikes with a small point of the laser. Even today I could play the game till its end.

Then came the sequel, with lots of expectations and hope I went and bought world in Flames, and the game did exactly that, it put my world in flames.

Majority of my problems with the game stemmed from bugs and glitches. The problems just kept on coming. Helicopters vanished with me in them; turrets will float in midair; people you’re supposed to rescue will drown themselves or run face-first into the helicopter rather than get in; and allies will shoot at you for no reason and so on. Artificial Intelligence was horrible, missions were very repetitive and to top it all off, even the story wasn’t all that. The scale was huge, but overall it was very disappointing.

The game would have been great, even better than its predecessor if only it was given more time. Time and attention to detail could have gone a long way in taking care of the glitch ridden programming. Pandemic, the studio behind this game was eventually closed down after the release of The Saboteur.

The series looks dead and buried since Pandemic closed down. Maybe EA can revive the series and I hope they do. It has a lot of potential.

Duke Nukem Forever

Duke Nukem Forever was the sequel to Duke Nukem 3D, one of the best games in most lists. Duke Nukem 3D was a commercial success. Also note that Duke Nukem 3D came out in 1996. Yes, it took 15 years for it to finally get released by Gearbox in 2011. It became a classic example of vaporware due to its long development period, and it wasn’t very good.

The game suffered at every level. The graphics, The story, The gameplay, The jokes, technical issues everything needed improvement. The game tried very hard and fell flat on its face. After 15 years of waiting, we got a game which was junk.

The game felt old and out of its time. There have been many games like Call of Duty, Battlefield, Halo which have changed the genre completely and the direction to keep it like the old series was fatal. Of course, Duke games need their own identity, but they also need to be up to date. I am sure Gearbox (developers of the excellent Borderlands as well) will come up with a sequel worth of the Duke Nukem name. I just hope its good enough to remove the dark spot this game has left.

Gearbox acquired the Duke Nukem License and they will surely be taking out new games in the coveted series.

Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness

Tomb Raider, the game that made a lot of guys fall in love with games, specifically because of the game’s main protagonist, Lara Croft. There have been movies starring Angelina Jolie, and she has been inducted in the Walk of game and Guiness records.

Lara was killed off in the previous game, The Last Revelation. Then she was bought back to life in this game. I believe she should have remained dead because she came back in a game with really bad bugs, Lara herself was really unresponsive and the controls, were the worst possible controls in a big budget game. Moreover I felt the developers were just trying to milk the series rather than improve it.

Although the game sold 2.5 million copies, it turned a lot of fans away from the series. If the clunky controls weren’t there the game would have been decent. If they would have added more finesse and variety, it would have been another great Tomb Raider game.

The Tomb Raider series has since recovered and added a couple of very good titles. Tomb Raider is being rebooted in 2013, and early looks at the gameplay are very promising with Crystal Dynamics at the helm.

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

Warrior Within is the only game on this list which is a great game, but just as disappointing.

The Prince of Persia reboot in 2003, the Sands of Time came and hit me in the face out of the blue. What a marvelous game it was. I still have a digital copy, which i still play frequently. The best part about Sands of Time is that its evergreen, it was awesome then and still continues to be awesome. Jordan Mechner, the brains behind the original PoP was hired for this game and it showed class. It had its charisma and charm and that is what was missing from its successor.

Warrior Within was a great game, but it is on this list because as a sequel to Sands of Time, it was very disappointing. The Prince, the setting and the story all had a much darker theme. Although it bested Sands of Time with better fighting mechanics and a longer game, it lost all the charm along the way. And as a direct sequel, it just did not hit the spot.

The game was very successful. But fans just didn’t appreciate the darker tone. If the setting, tone and prince were anything like the first game this game would be masterful.

The trilogy of the game was completed with Two thrones. 2 more games followed. And there are strong hints of a reboot.

Okamiden

Okamiden is the follow up of the masterful Okami. Okami was one game that beat Zelda at its own greatness. The game was the brainchild of some of the leading game developers who came together to make Clover Studios. The studio gave hits after hits and now has shut down. Unfortunately, Okamiden was not made by Clover. Those who haven’t tried it yet, should definitely try Okami HD which is available now.

Okamiden was a good game. It was good because it copy pasted the whole of Okami onto a DS. So it was a good game but not a new gaming experience. And that was its downfall.

New ideas and new designs would have really helped the game and bought the series back to life. It was necessary to build on the previous game and improve it along the way. Unfortunately with Clover Studios not making the game, no new ideas were inculcated into the game.

Okami HD is now available for purchase. Unfortunately, there is no news of the series continuing.

Perfect Dark Zero

How the mighty have fallen. Any gaming enthusiast knows the name of Rare. They gave you hit after hit after hit. Games such as Donkey Kong Country, Killer Instinct, Banjo Kazooie, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Goldeneye(which changed the multiplayer shooter for consoles forever) and its spiritual successor Perfect Dark. Perfect Dark was an almost perfect shooter receiving critical acclaim all over. You see, Rare was making exclusive games for Nintendo back then. That’s when it happened, Microsoft came and bought Rare and it seemed the company stopped making good games it was known for.

Perfect Dark Zero was to be released as a launch game for the Xbox 360. Making the Xbox 360 launch deadline proved taxing for the relatively small development team. Features were cut, elements were slimmed down, and though Perfect Dark Zero arrived in a decent shape for the 360′s launch, it did not represent Rare’s complete vision. Most Importantly, the game had not evolved and the game seemed dated.

More time to realize Rare’s vision. Rare had been giving hits after hits for Nintendo and now its just another studio making games for the overly pushed Kinect. The game was clearly unfinished and not ready. Publishers need to give time to developers to realize the vision of any game and this was a classic case of publishers not letting the developers do their job.

There is no news about any sequel and as of right now the series is dead.

Golden Axe: Dragon Rider

I cannot even begin to imagine the time I spent in the video game arcade and on my Sega Mega Drive playing Golden Axe. Most of the people remember this as a side scrolling action game with Multiplayer. It was a game ahead of its time. And then Golden Axe: Dragon Rider was released in  2008 and killed all those great memories of the game.

First and foremost, Golden Axe was made to be played with friends. Dragon Rider was a single player only. It had dated graphics, boring Gameplay and it tried to copy God of War with bad results, an utter disappointment.

Beast Rider needed a multiplayer like Need for Speed needs cars. Also, the game should have been built around a great multiplayer and the action should have tried to capture the series of old. More focus on varied gameplay mechanics was a must. Though its too late now.

The series was killed with this iteration and there are no new Golden Axe games announced.

– Reuters (File Photo)

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 29 – Facebook Inc and Zynga Inc severed the cozy ties that once bound the Internet industry’s closest couple, revising a years-old partnership between the two companies.

The two companies reported in regulatory filings on Thursday that they had reached an agreement to amend a deal struck in 2010 that was widely seen as giving Zynga privileged status on the world’s No.1 social network.

Zynga stock fell 12 percent to $2.30 in after-hours trading.  Facebook shares were off 5 cents at $27.27.

“Zynga’s favored nation’s status is gone but it seems like it’s been slipping away for a while now,” said PJ McNealy, CEO of Digital World Research.

The new agreement gives Zynga a freer hand to operate a standalone gaming website, but eliminates the San Francisco game publisher’s ability to promote its site on Facebook and to draw users from Facebook’s thriving social network of roughly 1 billion users.

Visitors to Zynga’s gaming website will no longer be able to tap into their network of Facebook friends or post messages about their gaming progress to Facebook.  Zynga games, like “FarmVille” and “Mafia Wars,” will still be available on Facebook’s social network, but those games will no longer feature cross-promotions directing users to Zynga’s standalone website.

The move underscores the widening gap between the two social networking pioneers, which went public within seven months of each other and have been intimately tied.  In recent quarters, fees from Zynga contributed 15 percent of Facebook’s total revenues, while Zynga relies on Facebook for roughly 80 percent of its revenue.

The 2010 agreement provided a variety of ways for Zynga to meet its monthly user growth targets, including guaranteed promotions of certain Zynga games on Facebook.

“Effective on March 31, 2013, certain provisions related to Web and mobile growth targets and schedules will no longer be applicable,” said a regulatory filing submitted by Zynga on Thursday.  The changes could benefit Zynga’s rivals who have long groused about Zynga receiving preferential treatment.

“There was plenty of speculation Zynga was getting referrals within the Facebook community that other gaming companies weren’t getting which helped drive web traffic to Zynga games,” said Digital World Research’s McNealy.  But he noted that recent changes to Facebook’s algorithm appeared to be helping drive more traffic to Zynga competitors such as Electronic Arts and KixEye.

In July, Zynga executives told analysts that the company’s revenue had plummeted in the second quarter as Facebook tweaked its algorithms, sending fewer gamers to Zynga titles.

Zynga CEO Mark Pincus, at the time, assured Wall Street that Zynga was “working closely with Facebook to optimize the game ecosystem.” Both Internet companies have been trying to reduce their inter-dependence, with Zynga starting up its own Zynga.com platform, and Facebook wooing other games developers.

“We have streamlined our terms with Zynga so that Zynga.com’s use of Facebook Platform is governed by the same policies as the rest of the ecosystem,” a Facebook spokesman said in a statement.

“We will continue to work with Zynga, just as we do with developers of all sizes.” Among the myriad terms of their new agreement, Zynga could elect not to collect revenue for games on its own website by solely using Facebook payment system, in which Facebook takes a 30 percent cut.

The game developer could also choose not to display Facebook’s ads on its own site, Zynga.com.

“Wall Street thinks Facebook is booting them off or something bad, but there’s no way this is bad,” said Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Securities. “This is at worst neutral and at best good.” The revised agreement also allows Facebook to develop its own games, according to the filing.

A person close to Facebook said the company “was not in the business of building games and we have no plans to do so.”

Developer: Arkane Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Genre: Action-Adventure/Stealth
Platforms: Microsoft Windows/Xbox 360/PlayStation 3
Released: October 9, 2012
Website: http://www.dishonored.com

Minimum system requirements

OS: Vista/7
CPU: 3.0Ghz dual core or better
Memory: 4GB
Hard drive: 9GB free
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 512MB or ATI Radeon HD 5850 512MB

Ratings
Story: 8.0/10
Design: 8.5/10
Gameplay: 9.0/10
Presentation: 8.0/10
Overall score: 8.9/10

It’s always fun to see a game that grants its players liberty to play according to their preferences. Open-world and sandbox games bring with them an exhilarating sense of freedom, allowing players to proceed in any way they want – the feature that makes players keep coming back for more.

However, among all the games that have come out over the past couple of years, none seem to stick to this methodology more than Dishonored, an imaginative new game that claims to let you play around to your  heart’s content. Does this new saga make its mark with surprising accuracy, or are you better left unaware of its presence?

The plot

The city of Dunwall is undergoing an industrial revolution. After the recent discovery of whale oil, Dunwall has seen a rise in affluence and luxury, while also being afflicted by corruption within the government and a plague spread by animals infecting its denizens. It is in this strange world that you are thrust in as Corvo Attano, a heroic bodyguard to the regal Empress of Dunwall. After returning from a journey to seek aid in combating the plague, Corvo witnesses the murder of the Empress and is subsequently framed for her assassination. After escaping execution, Corvo meets up with a group of rebels called the Loyalists who plan to take down the new oppressive regime. He also receives supernatural powers from a mysterious figure, known as The Outsider, in order to exact his revenge.

The plot has a strong pace, leading you on an ever-progressing tale of redemption, while never really pressing in on urgency. The setting itself is intriguing, with plenty of books and audio logs present to give your surroundings personality and a distinct feel. What the game lacks in solid action, it makes up for with plenty of plot twists and entertaining moments.

Gameplay

Once you gain access to your primary set of powers and are given your first mission, you’ll soon realise that the city of Dunwall has become your own personal playground. The game is divided into multiple chapters; most involving a mission in which someone needs to disappear forever at your hands. The real beauty of Dishonored lies in the multitude of choices you can make in order to get the job done. You could walk into a room with guns blazing, use the stealth route and eliminate people without them knowing, possess victims to do your bidding, or altogether go for an entirely non-lethal approach where no one has to die.

You’ll also take part in plenty of side-missions that help flesh out the world and story, in addition to providing insight into the lives of those you meet along the way, while helping you dive deeper into the gameplay. Players favouring stealth might have to deal with many situations demanding care and patience. However, ultimately, fewer confrontations and saving up more supplies would be their reward. Conversely, barrelling through with your weapons will seem easy at first, but it will deprive you of precious items and lead to tighter security in the later acts, even going so far as to alter the game drastically towards the finale, giving you one of two possible endings.

Whatever aspect you choose to invest in, you’ll find plenty of action and a host of incredible powers and gadgets at your disposal. Corvo’s arsenal contains guns, bombs, gadgets, swords, potions and supernatural powers that all have their own uses. You’ll steadily be supplied with new equipment as you make in-game progress. Various runes and bone charms, scattered throughout the city, unlock new abilities and increase your stats respectively. You’re never overwhelmed with all the options, as the most ardent tasks can be accomplished with the simplest of powers and tools.

Players who take either approach will find that Blink, the short-ranged teleport ability unlocked from the beginning, is primarily the most versatile tool at your disposal. It allows you to hop to seemingly hard-to-reach places with ease, and can be used for quick assassinations or getaway tactics, speeding up the gameplay dramatically. Other powers that you’ll make use of include Dark Vision, which grants you the ability to see enemies through walls; Bend Time, which slows things down to a crawl, and Possession. Other weapons include pistols, crossbows, grenades and your trusty sword – should you ever wish to engage people in combat, which can have its own rewards. Taking on a swarm of attackers at once and dealing death with a clever combination of weapons and powers is quite exhilarating.

Sights and sounds

Inspired by the 17th century aesthetics of London, the visual perspective of Dunwall is a pleasant, if somewhat murky, sight to behold. The design is elegant and evocative of a steampunk atmosphere, with some futuristic touches. The designs can truly have you marvel at the level of creativity at play here, quite something like how Bioshock wowed us all back when it was released. But the experience is slightly marred with some technical glitches, including pop-ins and facial animations. Still, the world you explore is fascinating in its entirety, and the top-notch music and voice acting make it all the more enjoyable. Several well-known actors such as Susan Sarandon, Brad Dourif and Carrie Fisher lend their voices to the cast and help breathe life into an intriguing new world.

The verdict

There’s no denying that Dishonored is definitely a special kind of game. It mixes both stealth and action along with plenty of choices to deliver a very unique and refreshing experience, and encourages players to get inventive and toy around to their heart’s content. It’s a game about experimentation and constantly pushing you to try out something creative. When everything falls into place, it unfolds like a grand symphonic melody of brilliance. Whatever your choices may be, the powers of this excellent game should definitely pass through your hands this season.

Dishonored Trailer